Wire drawing die and die holder



Jam so, 1940. F, H BRANDT 2,188,470

WIRE DRAWING DIE AND DIE HOLDER Filed Aug. 10', 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR 'f fe G. 5r /mz I 2. @Y

x 30 2? ?82/ 336 32 26 3 3 3 ATTORNEY Jan. 30, 1940. H Q BRANDT2,188,470

WIRE DRAWING DIE AND DIE HOLDER Filed Aug. l0, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2Jan. 30, 1940. F. H. G. BRANDT WIRE DRAWING DIE AND DIE HOLDER 4sheets-sheet' s v INVENTOR #ed ra/zaf ATTORNEY Filed Aug. 10, 1936 lTmmnumlllll Jan. 30, 1940. F. H. G. BRANDT WIRE DRAWING DIE AND DIEHOLDER 4 Sheets-Sheet. 4

Filed Aug. 10, 1 936 w w mmy M 1 R W W maw 6. ,y wm

ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 30, 1940 UNITED STATES WIRE DRAWING DIE AND DIEHOLDER Fred H. G. Brandt, Kansas City, Mo., assigner to Sheield SteelCorporation, Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Ohio Application August10, 1936, Serial No. 95,121

9 Claims.

This invention relates to wire drawing apparatus including a die havinga. wear resisting nib, a holder for the die and a retainer for securingthe die inthe holder. In dies of this character a wire to be drawn ispulled through a lubricant, through a guide opening in the retainer, andthen through the nib of the die to effect reduction of the wire inaccordance with the shape and size of the die opening in the nib. Inordinary die apparatus, the lubricant on the wire is in excess of theamount that can be drawn with the wire through the die, consequently theexcess lubricant collects between the retainer and the die with theresult that a pressure is built up therebetween and unless the parts areconstructed of high tensile strength materials the pressure isdestructive to the die and die holder. There is also a great quantity ofheat generated by the wire being drawn and it is necessary to cool thedie by circulating a cooling medium through the holder. Since the diemust be readily removable from the holder, and because of the pressuregenerated by the lubricant, it has been diicult to successfully cool .3the dies.

It is, therefore, the principal objects of the present invention toprovide adle and a die holder constructed to prevent excessive pressuresof the lubricant and to provide a construction wherein an adequatecooling eiect is accomplished through direct contact of the coolingmedium with the die.

Other important objects of the invention are to provide a constructionwhich permits forma- 35 tion of the die holder and retainer of anonferrous alloy, such as aluminum bronze; to facilitate removal andreplacement of the die proper;

to provide a construction which permits more intimate engagement of thecontacting surfaces 40 between the respective parts, including the dieand its holder, thereby promoting better conductivity and more uniformtemperatures; and to provide a die having suicient radiating surfaces incontact with the cooling medium to maintain the die at its requiredtemperature.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, ashereinafter pointed out, I have provided improved details of structure,the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a die and holder constructed inaccordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a section throughthe die and die holder on the line 2 2 ofFig. 3, particularly i1- lustrating the passageway through which acooling medium is circulated in direct contact with the die. y

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3'-3 of Fig. 2 illustrating sealing ofthe die within the holder. o

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the die retainer and the wire guideinsert shown in disassembled spacedrelation.

Fig. 5 is a face view of the die retainer and the guide insert inassembled position.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modied form of die and holder.

Fig. 7 Vis a sectional view through the modiiied form taken on the line1 1 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8--8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the die, the die retainer and wire guideinsert, shown in disassembled spaced relation.

Fig. 10 is a face view of the parts illustrated in Fig. 9 when inassembled condition.

Fig. 11 isa section through a die and die holder constructed inaccordance with.the present invention, showing a. modified form, of sealbetween the die and a retainer, capable of maintaining the sealregardless of any diierential in expansion or contraction of the parts.

Fig. 12 is a section on the line |2|2 of Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a face view of the die retainer.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the parts shown in Fig. 11 indisassembled spaced relation to better disclose the construction.

Fig. 15 is an end View of the .die shown in Fig. 11.

Fig. 16 is an elevational view of a die holder constructed in accordancewith the present invention, showing a. modified form of die retainer andsealing ring.

Fig. 17 is a section on the line I'l-I'I of Fig. 16.

Fig. 18 is a detail perspective view of the parts illustrated in Figs.16 and` 1'7, shown in disassem- 40 bled spaced relation.

Fig. 19 is a detail section through one of the fasteners for the dieretainer on the line |9--l9 of Fig. 16.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, and particularly to the formof the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive:

I designates a die apparatus constructed in accordance with the presentinvention, including a die holder 2, a die `3 supported in the holder,50 and a retainer 4 for clampingly securing the die in the holder.

The die holder 2 includes a. substantially rectangular face plateportion 5 and an integral, substantially cylindrical body 6. The bodypori 'I'he inlet and outlet parts communicate with flow channels I3 andI4 respectively formed in rib-like bosses I5 and I6 extending laterallyfrom the side of the body portion at one end of the plate 2. The outerends of the channels I3 and I4 are internally threaded, as at I1 and I8,to connect influent and eiiiuent pipes I9 and for a cooling medium thatis circulated about the passageway and in direct contact with the die, y

Formed in the plate portion 5 andin concentric relation with the recess1 is an opening 2I encircled by an annular rib 221 projecting within thewater passageway 8 and which is provided on its inner periphery with abevelled annular seat 23 to sealingly seat the die, as later described.The opposite side of the recess 1, while being of smaller diameter thanthe passageway 8, is of larger diameter than the opening 2| and is in-vternally threaded, as at 24, to mount the die retainer 4.

The die 3 is of circular shape and of suitable diameter to be freelyinserted through theopen end of the recess, and is of a thicknesssubstantially equal to the width of the passageway 8 for :the coolingmedium. The side faces 25 and 26 of the die are substantially fiat andlocated in parallel planes as best shown in Fig, 3. The peripheral edgesof the side faces are bevelled, as at 21 and 28, to correspond with thetaper of nv the seat 23 and with a tapered seat 29 formed in lthe dieretainer.

The peripheral face of the die, located between the bevelled seatingfaces thereof, is provided with a plurality of spaced,

circumferential grooves forming fins 3| thereas later described.

Formed in the die is a concentric tapered bore 32, having its smallerend located at the side adjacent the opening 2|, and which is arrangedto wedgingly mount'a nib 33 therein. The nib 33 is formed of arelatively hard and wear resisting material, such as tungsten carbide,and has a central bore 34 tapering from a large diameter at the largerend of the insert toward a constricted throat 35 at substantially thecenter thereof, the size of which governs the ultimate size and shape ofa wir'e that is drawn through the die, as later described. From thethroat 35, the bore again flares outwardly to communicate with anannular counterbore 36 that is formedin the smaller end of the nib. 'Ihenib is'pressed within the tapered bore of the die and is preferablyfused with the metal comprising the body of the die so that after theassembly is complete, the nib is in effect an integral part of the body.

1 In this form of the invention, the die retainer 4 comprises acylindrical plug 31 having external threads 38 for engaging the threads24. 'I'he inner face .of the plug has an annular recess 39 encircled bythe tapered seat 29, seating the bevelled inner periphery of the die asclearly shown in Fig. 3, the tapers being such that when the plug isthreaded into the recess and drawn into contact with the die, thecontacting surfaces of the die, the holder and the insert will formuidtight joints to prevent leakage of the cooling medium. y,

Formed in the outer side of the retainer is an internally threadedrecess 40 to mount a guide insert 4I. face 42 of the plug to provide anannular shoulder 43 about a central opening 44 aligning with the axis ofthe opening in the nib. The wire guide insert 4I includes an externallythreaded head 45 terminating at its inner end in a reduced cylindricalneck that is snugly received within the opening 44 and which provides anannular shoulder 46 that seats against the annular shoulder 43.

Formed in the axis of the wire guide insert is a wire guide opening 41tapering from the outer end thereof toward an opening 48 at the oppositeend which is of suitable diameter to pass the wire admitted to the die,as later described. To facilitatev application and removal of theinsert, the inner periphery thereof surrounding the larger end of thetapered guide opening is notched as at 49 and 50 to accommodate asuitable spanner wrench (not shown).

When a wire to be drawn is passed through the die, it is first passedthrough a body of lubricant to coat the surface thereof prior to itspassage through the draw opening in the die. This lubri` cant is appliedin excess to that necessary in drawing the wire, and consequently the`excess lubricant collects in the space 5I between the face 25 of thedie and the face 42 ofthe recess, and

' unless relief is provided, the hydraulic pressure of the entrappedlubricant becomes so -great as to cause bursting of the die holder. Toovercome this difficulty, thev retainer is provided with a circularseries of channels or ports 52 extending from the space 5I to the outerface of the retainer, as shown in Fig. 2. Thus the lubricant drawn withthe wire into the space 5I may return to the outer side of the diethrough the ports so that excessive pressure cannot be built up in thedie holder. This is an important feature in the present inventionbecause it permits construction of the die holder, as well as theretainer, of nonferrous materials, which have a relatively highconductivity in order to eiect ready and uniform heat transferthroughout the entire die structure. Relief of the excess lubricant alsoenables direct contact of the cooling medium with the external surfaceof the die since the bevelled seating surface between the die, theholder and retainer are adequate to maintain an effective seal betweenthe space 5I and the passageway for the cooling medium.

To prevent loosening of the retainer, the boss I6 extends upwardly toadjacent the outer side of the body portion of the holder and isprovided with an internally threaded opening 53 extend- ,ing radially inthe direction ofthe recess 8. In 'serted in the opening is a lockingmember formed of relatively soft material, such as copper, that is urgedinto engagement with the threads of the plug by a set screw 54, the setscrew preferably having a hollow head 55 adapted tovreceive a suitablewrench (not shown), by which it may be readily adjusted whenever itbecomes necessaryto remove the retainer.

y In assembling the die apparatus constructed as described, the die isinsertedthrough the threaded recess 1 so that the bevelled peripherythereof seats in the bevelled seat 23. The retainer is then threadedinto the outer end of the recess until The recess 40 terminates short ofthe 2,188,470 the bevelled seat 29 on the inner end thereof wedginglyengages the inner bevelled periphery 21 of the die to effect a tightseal between the die holder, the die and the retainer, and thereforeform a closed annular passageway for the cooling medium. The copper plug58 is then inserted in the threaded bore 53 to be backed by the setscrew 54 for locking the retainer in wedging relation with the die. Theinlet pipe |9 is then connected to a suitable source of cooling mediumsupply so that a cooling medium is circulated from the pipe I9 throughthe channel I3, port i0 and around the annular passageway 8 to directlycontact the outer cooling surface of the die, which absorbs and carriesaway the heat generated incidental to drawing a wire. The coolingmedium, after absorbing the heat, is discharged through the port Il,channel I4 and carried oi through the pipe 20.

In using a die constructed and assembled as described, the wire ispassed through a suitable lubricant, through the guide opening in theretainer and through the nib of the die. Excess lubricant is scrapedfrom the wire into the space 5| from where it may flow through the ports52, back into the receptacle originally containing the lubricant.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 6 to 10 inclusive, thedie holder includes a cylindrical body portion 51 provided with asubstantially horseshoe-shaped passage 58 encircling an linternallythreaded socket 59 in which the die 88 is inserted. The opposite innersides of'the passageway 58 connect with the internal threaded socketthrough openings 8| and 62 so that the cooling medium circulatedtherethrough directly contacts the sides of the die. The inlet andoutlet ends 63 and 84 of the passageway 'are divided by a transversepartition 65, which cooperates with a post 66 at the opposite side tothreadedly engage the threads on the die. It is thus apparentthat whilethe threads do not extend across the openings 8| and 82, the threadsformed on the partition and post portions permit ready threading of thedie into the holder.

The die in this form of the invention includes a. cylindrical bodyhaving external threads 61 engaging the internal threads of the socketYand has a flattened end face 68 engaging against an internal seat 69formed at the bottom of the socket in encircling relation with anopening 10. The die is locked in vposition in the holder by a retainer1I that is threaded into an enlarged internally threaded bore 12 formedin the cylindrical body. The retainer is of suitable size to engage thethreads of the enlarged portion of, the socket and has a dependingannular rib i 13 adapted to engage against the inner face of the die. Inthis instance the dieV is recessed, as indicated at 14, to provide spacefor the excess lubricant. Relief for the lubricant is had through aseries of ports 15 arranged circumferentially about the axis of theretainer, as well as through a series of ports 16 arranged in circularseries about the nib of the die. Otherwise the construction issubstantially equivalent to that shown in the preferred form of theinvention.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 11 to 15 inclusive, the dieholder conforms ysubstantially to that shownin the preferred form of theinvention, however, the die and its retainer are of diierentconstruction. In this form the seal between the die and retainer iseffected by a compressible gasket ring 11 that has its ends 18 and 19engaged in recesses 88 and 8| formed in the adjacent inner faces of thedie and retainer respectively. t

In this form of the invention, the inner side of the die is engaged in arecess 82 that is formed in the lower face of the retainer, as bestshown in Fig. 11. In order to enhance the sealing engagement of thegasket ring the sealing grooves and 8| are of substantially V-shapedcrosssection to correspond with a similar'shaped cross'.- section of thering for providing a wedging effect to maintain a positive seal when-theretainer yis threaded into the die holder. if f In the form of theinvention shown in Figs'l 16 and 19 inclusive, the die retainer isformed as an upper section 83 of the die holder. The lower section 84 ofthe die holder includes-a base plate 85 and an integral substantiallycylindrical body 86 having a recess 81 therein to pro-vide a' chamberfor seating the die 88 and providing an annular passageway 89. The outerbevelled edge 99 of the -die engages in a bevelled seat 9| encircling anopening 92 in the plate 85, substantially the same as that part of theinvention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive.

The inner periphery of the body portion of the holder section isprovided with `a bevelled face 93 cooperating with the bevelledperiphery 94 of the die to seat a substantially triangular shaped gasketring 95 having a groove98 engaged by an annular rib 91 on the uppersection of the holder. The outer face of the upper section issubstantially cone-shaped and has a radially ex# tending rim portion 98provided with bosses 99 at the corners thereof to cooperate with similarbosses |08 on the .lower section in receiving cap screws IUI whereby thesections are drawn together to effect seating of the die and wedgin'g ofthe gasket ring against the faces 93-,and 94 thereby -sealing the spacebetween the passageway 81 and the die. The cap screws are preferablyprovided with hollow heads |02 to* be enf gaged by a suitable wrench(not shown). 'The' die in this form of the invention is provided withannular groves |03 forming annular fins |84 similar to the correspondingconstruction illustrated in Figs. 3 and 11.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided a die and dieholder construction whereinthe cooling medium directly contacts 'the dieto carry off the heat generated incidental lto drawing of the wire andby providing the relief passageways for the lubricant accumulatingbetween the die retainer and the die, I am enabled to construct the dieholder, as well as the retainer, of non-ferrous materials, such asaluminum bronze. Such materials have su'icient ten? sile strength towithstand normal strains on the die, and they have suicient conductivityso that they are readily responsive to the cooling effects of thecooling medium. 3

Attention is also directed to the fact that the contacting surfacesbetween the die, the die holder and retainer are of such character thatthey may be brought into intimate engagement with each other, therebyaifording better transmission of heat from one member to the other sothat all of the die parts may be maintained at substantially the sametemperature as governed by the temperature of the cooling medium.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: A

1. In combination a die having bevelled peripheral Aedges at oppositeend faces of the die, a die holder for the die having a passageway for,

' Vcluding a die holder having a recess to mount a circulating a coolingmedium about the die and having a bevelled seat for one of said bevellededges of the die, and a retainer vcarried by the die holder and havingay bevelled seat for engaging the other bevelled edge of said die.

2. In combination a die having bevelled peripheral edges at the endsthereof, a die holder for the die having a passageway for circulating acooling medium about the die and having a bevelled seat for one of saidbevelled edges of the die, a retainer carried by the die holder, and agasket ring inserted between the other beveled edge of the die and theretainer for sealing the passageway at the die.

3. In combination a die having bevelled peripheral edges, forming seatengaging faces, a die holder for the die having a passageway forcirculating a cooling medium about the die and having a bevelled seatfor one of said bevelled seat engaging faces of the die, a retainercarried by the die holder and having a bevelled seat for engaging theother bevelled seat engaging face of said die, and a iin on the dieintermediate said seat engaging faces and exposed to the cooling mediumcirculated through said passageway.

4. In combination a die holder having a recess for seating a die andhaving a passageway for a cooling medium, a die in said recess,radiating ilns on the die in contact with the cooling medl- -umcirculating through said passageway, a

wedge-shaped gasket ring engaging the die holder f at the periphery ofsaid recess and the die, and a retainer xed to the holder to wedge thering in seating contact with the die and holder.

5. An apparatus of the character described indie and having a passageextending aroundsaid recess for circulating a cooling medium, a diehaving threaded engagement with Walls of said recess on oppositesides ofthe passage, a side wall of the passage being formed by the die wherebythe cooling medium circulated through said passage directly contacts thedie, and a retainer threaded into the recess for retaining the die inthe holder, said retainer and die being of diierential diameters.

6. A die mounting including an annular holder provided with aninteriorly screw-threaded recess and an annularr die-retaining plugexteriorly screw-threaded and adapted to be removably applied to'saidrecess, the die-retaining plug being countersunk on its inner face andbeing provided with a permanently open lubricant-escape perforationextending from the countersink through the plug at a point adjacent theperiphery thereof.,

7. An apparatus of the character described including a die holder, a diemember seated in the die holder, and an annular die retaining memberconnected with the holder for anchoring the die, said members beingarranged to provide a recess between the die and die retaining members,said die retaining member having a permanently open lubricant escapeperforation extending from said recess to the exterior side of saidretaining member whereby excess lubricant drawn through the retainingmember is relieved 'from said recess through said perforation.

8. An apparatus of the character described including a die holdingmember, a die seated in said holding member, anda die retaining memberconnected with the die holding member for anchoring the die, said dieretaining member having an entrance to said die and a recess in itsinner face, one of said members having a relief passageway extendingfrom said recess to atmosphere whereby excess lubricant drawn thoughsaid entrance into said recess is relieved through said reliefpassageway.

9. A die mounting including an annular holder provided with aninteriorly threaded recess and an annular passageway for circulation ofa cooling medium, a die in said recess having its ends sealed withrespect to the holder on the opposite side of said annular passageway,an annular dieV retaining plug exteriorly threaded and adapted to beremovably applied in said recess, said die and die retaining plug beingarranged to form a space therebetween, said die retaining plug having anentrance to said die, and a relief passageway .connected with said spaceat a point between said entrance and the adjacent sealed end of the diefor relief of excess lubricantfdrawn through the entrance whereby theexcess lubri- 1 cant is prevented from being forced through said sealedend of the die into the annular passageway and between the threadedconnection of the die retaining plug and said holder.

FRED H. G'. BRANDT.

